Migration & Clean Start

More than an IT project

One of the most common mistakes organisations make is underestimating the impact of a migration. Many only realise too late that an ERP transition is more than just an IT project—it’s a strategic transformation that affects the entire organisation. Be sure to include multiple stakeholders in your project, including representatives from each department with business processes handled by the ERP.

Start with a clean slate

A migration project is a perfect opportunity to clean up old data and decide what custom code stays behind and what will be moved. Often a clean core is thought to be a system devoid of core customisation. However, being truly ‘clean’ actually means that those developments need to adhere to the latest best practices and guidelines for developments in the core of SAP Cloud ERP systems.

While it is good to keep your core ‘clean’, that does not mean there are not plenty of use cases
for customisation, especially for your organisation’s unique processes.

Full migration or a clean start: Which approach best fits your situation?

When your organisation embarks on an ERP implementation, it can feel like standing at a crossroad. Do you choose an entirely new path, building everything from scratch? Or do you take your existing system as a starting point and copy as much as possible? And sometimes, the right choice lies somewhere in between. Within SAP implementation projects, we often speak of three different routes: greenfield, brownfield, and hybrid.

Greenfield

Set up the ERP system completely independently of your old set-up
Make full use of the latest SAP standards and best practices
Establish a clean core straight away

Brownfield

Take your existing ERP solution as the starting point
Retain processes, data, and configurations as much as possible
Implement improvements and optimisations where feasible

Hybrid

Strike the right balance between preservation and renewal
Migrate components that work well and add value
Redesign other business processes entirely according to best practices

How to Guide: Moving to SAP S/4HANA Cloud

An ERP migration often feels like moving house: exciting, full of opportunities, but also challenging.

How do you ensure a smooth transition? What should you take into account? Boost the chances of success in your migration project with this how-to guide detailing the steps involved, the choices to be made and the stakeholders to include.

Download How to guide

Start with a thorough assessment of your current situation

As an external party with extensive experience at other companies going through a similar process, Aiden can more easily evaluate your current situation and recommend next steps. A migration project often starts with a digital transformation assessment which defines your migration plan, identifies the dependencies, prioritises the deliverables, and quantifies the ROI of such a project.

Start your digital transformation

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have questions about ERP migrations? Here are the most common questions and their answers.

Don’t see your question?

While these projects can vary in length based on the scope of your particular situation, the average projects takes approximately six months.

When migrating from SAP ECC to SAP Cloud ERP (formerly SAP S/4HANA), it is only possible to do a conversion if you are moving to a private cloud. In this scenario, you will preserve all your assets, including data, processes, and custom code. If you see your custom enhancements and modifications as a major asset supporting your company’s unique way of operating and intend to preserve them, a conversion is a more attractive option. However, be aware that some new technologies may have rendered these customisations unnecessary.

Many on-premise ERP installations include customer-specific customisations to the code that either become irrelevant later or cause challenges during migration. For example, new releases of SAP Business One will often make customisations unnecessary. Aiden can help you get a grip on your current instance, clean up your custom code and irrelevant workflows, and get you ready for the next step—either a better, faster instance or a smoother migration.